I'm pleased to report that the Wallingford Comrades Club has enjoyed another successful season in snooker competitions this season.
The annual Gilbert Shepherd Final was contested between Simon Ellam & Comrades A Team Old Boy & Captain, specially invited guest Phil Hall. Phil made the long journey up worthwhile eventually triumphing by 2 frames to 1 & with the Final finishing at around 11pm, it really was Last Man Standing! Nigel Woods won the Best Non League Player trophy bowing out in the semis-a title which he has now relinquished by joining up!
The Tanner Trophy for Player of the Season was proudly received by Tom Williams of the A Team. He was voted for after his fabulous debut season where he was Runner Up in the League Singles Final, Winner of the League Novice Final & a solid win percentage-including some very important frames, especially in the Jim Taylor semi & final!
We re-instated the annual Greene King tournament this season & it was very well attended (possibly due to the lucrative prize money available from healthy sponsorship from the brewery!). Best Non-League Player was the veteran Don Sirret (who hasn't missed a GSMS or GK tournament since they were started!). Losing Semi Finalists were Simon Ellam & Dave Rowe. After being 1-0 down & needing a snooker on the pink, I eventually consigned Phil Hall to Runner Up by winning the Final 2-1. I also scooped both High Break Prizes with a 49 & 34.
The latter stages of the house competitions were littered with B Team players.
The Veterans Final was won by the Club Secretary Brian Orton who beat Alan Wells who made the Final in his first season in the Club & C Team.
The Billiards Final was won by Club Snooker Rep (ME!) who beat Rob House in a reverse of last years result.
The Doubles was won for the first time by Simon Ellam & Rob House who beat last years Champions Dave Rowe & Nigel Woods.
The Singles event was an all B Team affair & won by Dave Rowe who retained the Title (this year off a scratch handicap!) by beating his team mate Rob House.
Thank you to the Secretary, Brian Orton for organising all of the house competitions & Russ Hawkswell for the lovely octagonal glass trophies (& for winning one himself as Runner Up in the Darts!).
In the D&DS&B League, Wallingford had a sufficiently interested number of players that we entered a third Team in the combined 2nd & 3rd Division. Kev Pickworth kindly volunteered at the 11th hour to Captain the newly formed C Team to bolster a diminishing League - we lost Fairmile, Fawley AND Didcot Con A over the summer & are losing Watlington for next season!
The A Team, after giving everyone else a 5 points head start(!), won the Premier Division title back with a week to spare, eventually finishing 9 points ahead of Wantage A.
Our own Nigel Prior took the Premier Division High Break Prize with a lovely 51 break. This was also the Highest Break by any Wallingford player in competition this season so won him the annual Bill Billingham High Break trophy as well!
After a scintillating start the B Team were 4th in the Premier Division, just below their 1st Divisions Runner Up position of last season.
The newly formed C Team were 4th in Division 3 after a challenging first year. Success doesn't happen overnight lads & as they say 'you only get out what you put in'! Practice & dedication will reap their rewards!
In the Cups, the A Team played Abingdon Con A in the John Evans Final at Didcot Con & despite some battling performances, most notably Kev 'Cuz' Higgs who went toe-to-toe with Karl Walker (Oxford League & ex-Oracle). Karl started with a 24 & Cuz came back straight away with a lovely 33 break. It was a black ball game which Karl eventually won & the A Team went down 1-3.
In the Jim Taylor sadly none of our teams made it through the Quarter Finals.
In the Presidents Cup the C Team bowed out before the Quarter Finals.
In Pairs & Individual League Competitions Wallingford entered 41 players across all tournaments, only bettered by Challow who entered 43!
In the Doubles, Dave Rowe & Nigel Woods and Kev Higgs & myself all bowed out at the Semi Finals stage.
In the 2 Man Team, again Dave Rowe & Nigel Woods and Aaron Tame & Tom Hamilton-Williams also all bowed out at the Semi Finals stage.
The League Billiards was won by Tom Hamilton-Williams at his first attempt! He beat Ricky Delahunt in a thrilling Final after beating Colin Bark in an equally thrilling Semi Final!
In the Novices, our own Dave Rowe beat Phil Hall of Wantage at Wantage 3-0! Many congratulations to Dave who makes it a 'Double Year' with the Club Singles Title. With a successful defence of the Novices Title after Tom won last year & Dave won this year, the question is...who will successfully make it a hat-trick of Wallingford wins next season!?
In the Over 50s, Dave Greathead bowed out at the Semi Final stage.
In the Captains Cup, both Andy Rance & myself, following in a familiar fashion, both bowed out in the Semi Finals.
In the Singles, there was to be no successful defence of the title (held by me!) as all Wallingford entrants bowed out before the Semis.
The Comrades will be collecting no less than 4 trophies at this years AGM & Presentation at the Marlborough Club on Tues 6th May!
I would like to thank Andy Rance & Kev Pickworth for all their hard work as Team Captains & ALL the snooker players for their efforts & enthusiasm throughout the year!
The snooker players would like to thank the Club & Committee for investing & maintaining the fabulous facilities, especially the upgrading of the lighting on ALL 4 tables. Thank you to A Team Stalwart Dave Greathead & his son Peter for putting them up! I think you'll all agree the snooker room looks fabulous!
The Club has continued investment in the fabulous facilities by reclothing tables 1 & 4 plus maintenance of 2 & 3 & new match balls on table 4. It is fair to say that this has seen a great return in revenue through increased interest from new & old players & the facilities here are, without doubt the best in the League!
A huge Thank You to John Beardsley for his tireless high quality maintenance of the tables & also to Kev 'Cuz' Higgs who utilised his RefreshPro (check out their website & Facebook page) equipment to clean the layers of ancient dust off the beams!
On the subject of media platforms, I received a FaceBook message from a guest player, Chris Reilly (ex-Wantage) from Swindon who said 'was brilliant having a game last night will definitely be coming over again soon-tables are impeccable'!
The club hosted 3 Semi Finals (Captains, Presidents & 2 Man Team Cups) & 1 Final (Over 50s) & the quality of the tables has been commented on during the season by several players from other clubs who are envious of the excellent facilities here!
Also a huge Thank You to Will Spinner who as you know set up the Wallingford Comrades Club Website. Will also set up the Snooker Link & a 'technology 4 idiots' e-mail address that makes my job of Club Snooker Reps job sooooo easy! Thank you Will!
Lastly a huge Thank You to Oz & Lucy & their bar staff for the consistently high quality of the food & their hospitality extended to the away teams-again we have a reputation for our snooker suppers that has been continued to a very high standard. Thank you.
Don't forget the inaugural Ray Dandridge Memorial Doubles Competition Fun Day on 24th May! Entries spaces still available on the Snooker Room Notice Board!
Thanks to all you blog readers! Have a great summer & see you in September when it all starts again!
Comrades Snooker Rep & A Team Captain, Pete Billingham.
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